The leaders of Western Micronesia are jointly asking the federal government for more support in fighting bird flu.
CNMI Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, Guam Gov. Felix Camacho, and Palau President Tommy Remengasau wrote a letter asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist the islands in monitoring and responding to potential threats posed by avian influenza, both in wild migratory birds and domestic poultry.
The leaders met on Saipan for the 7th Western Micronesian Chief Executives Summit. The three-day conference ended yesterday.
According to the chief executives, the continued threat to human health and agriculture presented by H5N1, the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, in Asia presents a substantial risk to life in the Micronesian region.
“Our islands, each unique in its own regard, support a tremendous diversity of people and natural resources. While inviting visitors from around the world to these islands, we strive to protect them from invasive species and pathogens carried by daily commerce and travel. Our proximity to H5N1 outbreaks in Asia puts the tropical western Pacific at substantial risk for the arrival of avian influenza,” they told USDA Secretary Mike Johannes.
“Migratory birds from Asia frequent all of the Micronesian islands and our cultural relationship with chickens create a clear mechanism for the movement of avian influenza into domestic flocks across Micronesia,” they added.
The leaders noted that the islands' capabilities to respond to a positive detection of H5N1 or other highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are limited.
At present, there are no APHIS state-level veterinarians in Micronesia. Furthermore, current federal efforts in surveillance and monitoring for avian influenza in Micronesia are reliant upon limited funding, spread across a vast geographic region.
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